Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D–N.Y.) will force a vote this week on the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), a measure certain to seriously restrict free speech and privacy online for everyone.
The meat of the bipartisan bill is creating a "duty of care" for a huge swath of digital companies (any "online platform, online video game, messaging application, or video streaming service that connects to the internet and that is used, or is reasonably likely to be used, by a minor"). This means they're legally required to protect minors from exposure to anything that could contribute to a host of "harms," including anxiety, depression, eating disorders, suicidal behaviors, being online too much, physical violence, harassment, online bullying, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, promotion of gambling, alcohol, drugs, or tobacco, and "predatory, unfair, or deceptive marketing practices, or other financial harms."
